Good Joe: Kenney for Executive Council

March 05. 2014 4:23PMMike Cryans, candidate for Executive Council in next Tuesday’s 1st District special election, might make a good pick in a Democratic primary for State Senate. For Exective Council, he promotes an agenda that is heavy on his party’s pet issues of the moment, such as expanding Medicaid and raising the minimum wage. What those have to do with keeping a check on New Hampshire’s governor and executive branch spending is anyone’s guess.

Republican candidate Joe Kenney, by contrast, gets the purpose of the Executive Council. He is running to serve as the people’s appointed watchdog in the executive branch. Both Cryans and Kenney say they will keep spending in check, but Kenney is the one who has a lengthy and proven record of doing that. He also does not undermine that claim by then talking about all the new stuff he wants to spend taxpayer money on.

The late Ray Burton, who vacated the 1st District seat only upon his death, endorsed Kenney in his races for state Senate and governor. That should give North Country voters some comfort that Kenney would, as he promises, continue in the Ray Burton tradition of being a tireless and vigorous champion of the district in Concord.